Waterfalls and Farm Dogs; Pura Vida Indeed Past Review
By Maggie N (Environmental Studies, Lafayette College) - abroad from 06/08/2015 to 07/07/2015 with
The School for Field Studies / SFS: Costa Rica – Ecological Resilience Studies
I learned how to mesh my humanities/social science-based Environmental Studies knowledge with a more scientific-based experience. It was certainly worthwhile to be surrounded by others doing their own versions of this and learning from each other all the time.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was not exceptionally difficult, but given my lack of strictly scientific experience, it kept me appropriately on my toes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
the staff was so warm and wonderful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Definitely not everyone's favorite, but I slept great, and enjoyed the mixed community. I was also fortunate to get two especially lovely roommates. |
| * Food: |
Could have been a bit more varied but very vegetarian-friendly for a country that is primarily omnivorous. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our professors and the rest of the on-campus staff made us feel very welcomed and encouraged us to learn, but due to my zero understanding of spanish, my personal immersion was a bit limited. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any healthcare problems while abroad but peers did and seemed to receive prompt care. |
| * Safety: |
The guards were friendly and kind and our faithful guard dog Hera kept us safe and entertained. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $40-$80 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | pack enough on your way there that you don't really have physical room to buy things to bring home! also be savvy with your food and beverage choices. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
but I don't speak it so no one forced me. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | None |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew how significantly difficult it would be to stay in contact with the outside world. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
